Precise pouring apparatus



July 19, 1966 C. H. M ALPINE ET AL PRECISE POURING APPARATUS 55 56,3 Lvloa.

Filed Sept.

INVENTOR KENNETH G McG OWA/V C/MPAfS H McALPM E United States Patent ()fi ice 3251,59 Patented July 19, 1966 PRECISE POURING APPARATUS Charles H. McAlpine, Coloma Township, Berrien County, and Kenneth G. McGowan, Lawrence Township, Van Buren County, Mich, assignors to Winkel Machine (10., Inc., Kalamazoo, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Sept. 5, 1963, Ser. No. 306,811

3 Claims. (Cl. 2279) This invention relates to a dispenser for liquids and more specifically relates to a device including a dipping trap chamber for dispensing a precisely adjustable volume of molten metal to a mold.

The device embodying the invention was developed for charging a battery plate mold with an adjustable and precisely predetermined amount of molten lead. The device further was developed for operation with an automatic battery grid casting such as a machine of the general type shown in Winkel Patent No. 2,763,039. Accordingly, the invention will be described in terms of a device for such a use but it will be understood that the invention is applicable to other uses also and that such specific reference will be for convenience in description and not limiting.

A number of prior liquid dispensing devices are known, but are generally unsatisfactory for the purposes of the present invention for a Variety of reasons. For example, previous devices incorporating a dipping trap chamber have been unsatisfactory in that they require means for driving the dipping trap chamber which are either expensive to manufacture or not readily adaptable to both manual operation and incorporation in and control by an automatic machine. Further, such devices have often had imprecise means, or no means, for adjusting the amount of material delivered from the trap chamber. Also, previously known devices have often been unsatisfactory in their provision of means for delivering molten metal to a mold because of splashing, wave, etc.

Accordingly, the objects of this invention include:

(1) To provide a device for dispensing molten lead into a mold;

(2) To provide a device, as aforesaid, particularly adaptable for use with a battery plate mold;

(3) To provide a device, as aforesaid, capable of delivering a precisely controlled and adjustable charge of molten metal to a mold;

(4) To provide a device, as aforesaid, incorporating a dipping trap chamber having simplified and precisely con trolled drive means actuating same;

(5) To provide a device, as aforesaid, including means preventing the splashing of molten material during loading of the mold;

(6) To provide a device, as aforesaid, which together with its controls may be easily incorporated into an automatic machine;

(7) To provide a device, as aforesaid, having a small number of simple and inexpensive parts and which is quickly and inexpensively manufacturable; and

(8) To provide a device, as aforesaid, which is sturdily constructed, easily maintained and which will require little maintenance over a longer operating life.

Other objects and purposes of the invention may become apparent to persons acquainted with devices of this general type upon reading the following specification and examining the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a device embodying the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a partially broken right side elevational view of the device.

FIGURE 3 is a top elevational view of the linkage supporting and moving the dipping trap chamber of the device.

General description In general, the objects and purposes of this invention are met by providing a dipping trap chamber, or cup, supported for and carried through a vertical path with respect to a well containing molten metal by linkage means actuated by a pressure fluid cylinder. Means are provided to adjust the uppermost position reached by the cup and thereby to adjust the effective volume thereof. An outlet tube having an open upper end passes downwardly through a hole in the bottom of the cup and then through an opening in the bottom of the well and terminates between the sides of a trough which is tiltable to discharge the contents thereof into a battery plate mold.

Detailed description In the following description certain terminology will be used for convenience in reference only and not as limiting. For example, the terms rightwardly and leftwardly will refer to directions as appearing in the drawings. The terms inwardly and outwardly will refer to the geometric center of the apparatus or parts thereof. Said terminology includes the words abovementioned, derivatives thereof, and terms of similar import.

The device 10 embodying the invention includes an upwardly opening well 11 having a bottom 12 and peripheral wall 13. The bottom 12 has an opening 16 therethrough spaced from the wall 13. A nut 17 is secured to the under-side of the bottom 12 by any convenient means, such as welding, and has an externally threaded internal opening coaxial with and somewhat larger than the opening 16. An upstanding tube 18 having open upper and lower ends extends upwardly through the nut 17 and opening 16 and into the well 11 for purposes appearing hereinafter. .The tube 18 has secured thereto by any convenient means, not shown, an externally threaded sleeve 21 which is threadedly received into the nut 17 and against the underside of the well 11 whereby to fix the tube 18 with respect to the well 11 and to prevent leakage of molten metal from within the well 11 outwardly therefrom through the opening 16. A protective sleeve 22 is coaxial with and closely surrounds'the lower end of the tube 18 and is secured thereto by a set screw 23.

An upwardly opening trough 26 is pivotally mounted, preferably near its lower end as indicated at 27, for tilting movement about a horizontal axis. Stop means of any convenient type such as the blocks 28 and 29 are provided to control the range through which the trough 26 may be tilted about its pivot axis. Hence, the trough 26 may be tilted from its solid line position of FIGURE 2 to its dotted line position whereby a portion of the contents thereof flow out therefrom and into an inlet opening 31 of a mold 32.

An upwardly opening dipping trap chamber or cup 34 is slidably disposed upon and preferably coaxial with the tube 18. The cup 34 has an opening 36 through the bottom thereof through which the tube 18 passes and which closely surrounds said tube to minimize leakage through said opening. Linkage means generally indicated at 38 and hereinafter described are provided for supporting the cup 34 and for moving same axially of the tube 18.

An upstanding support plate 41 is secured by means of the screws 42 and 43 and spacer block 44 to the peripheral wall 13 of the well 11. Suitable power means, in this embodiment a pressure fluid cylinder 46, is secured to the upper portion of the support plate 41 by means such as screws, one of which is indicated at 47, so that the rod 48 of said cylinder extends downwardly therefrom. The lower end of the rod 48 is fixed to a horizontal bar 49 which is preferably parallel to the support plate 41. Said =3 cylinder is operated from any suitable pressure source S through valve means 50.

The support plate 41 has fixed to its lower end an outwardly extending carrier bar 51 into which is threadedly received a vertically aligned adjustment screw 52 which is in substantial vertical alignment with the pressure fluid cylinder 46. Vertical adjustment of the adjustment screw 52 by rotation of a knob 53 secured to the lower end thereof determines the maximum amount of extension of the rod 48 from the pressure fluid cylinder 46 by interference of the bar 49 with the abutment defined by the upper end of the screw 52 and hence determines, through the linkage 38, the uppermost position to which the cup 34 may ascend.

The linkage means 38 constitutes a preferably identical pair of lever sets, said lever sets defining a pair of planes having the pressure fluid cylinder 46, support plate 41, and tube 18 centrally located therebetween. Because the lever sets are preferably identical, only elements of the rightward one (FIGURE 1) thereof will be described and the reference numerals applied thereto will, with the suffix a, be applied to corresponding elements of the other (FIGURE 1) lever set. Said rightward set includes an upstanding first link 56 pivotally secured at its lower end by the screw 54 to the rightward end of the bar 49 and pivotally secured at its upper end by the screw 55 to the leftward end (FIGURE 2) of a first lever 57. The first lever 57 is pivotally supported intermediate the ends thereof upon a horizontal pin 59 extending through a suitable extension 58 of the support plate 41 and pivotally supports at its rightward end by means of a horizontal pin 61 a substantially upstanding second link 62 which at its lower end is pivotally fixed by a horizontal pin 63 to a second lever 64 intermediate the ends thereof. The second lever 64 is pivotally supported at its leftward end upon a pin 66 received in the support plate 41. Thus, reciprocation of the rod 48 of the pressure fluid cylinder 46 will, through the aforementioned first and second links 56 and 62 and first lever 57, move said second lever 64 through an are preferably and approximately centered on a horizontal line through the pivot point 66.

The above-mentioned pins 59, 61 and 63 extend toward and pivotably support the first lever 57a and second link 62a as above described with respect to the elements 57 and 62. Thus, the pins 61 and 63 assure the alignment of the pair of lever sets. The rightward ends of the second levers 64 and 64a extend rightwardly past the tube 18 and have pivotally secured therebetween, by means of screws 67 and 67a and the crossbar 68, a depending final link 69 which is fixed by any convenient means such as welding to the cup 34. The lever 64 is sufliciently long with respect to the path described by its rightward end that said path approximates a straight line and the tilting of the cup 34 during its vertical movement is minimized.

Suitable means such as the controlled flow input pipe 72 and overflow pipe 73 maintain the level of liquid and the well 11 below the top of the tube 18 and above the top of the cup 34 when said cup is in its lowermost position.

Suitable control means, indicated schematically at 74 and preferably automatic, sequence the reciprocation of the pressure fluid cylinder 46, tilting of the trough 26 and the operation of the mold 32 in proper relationship to each other, such as in the sequence described hereinbelow.

Operation Assuming the liquid level in the well 11 to be in its proper range as mentioned hereinabove and assuming the rod 48 of the pressure fluid cylinder 46 to be in its retracted position as shown in the drawings, whereby the cup 34 is in its lowermost position below the surface of said liquid, energization of the pressure fluid cylinder 46 to move the rod 48 thereof downwardly results in a corresponding downward movement of the first link 56 whereby the first lever 57 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction (FIGURE 2) and the second link 62 is raised.

This in turn causes a counterclockwise rotation of the second lever 64 whereby the rightward end thereof is raised, thereby moving the cup 34 upwardly along the tube 18. The cup 34 rises until the level of liquid therein is above the top of the tube 18 whereby said liquid flows downwardly through said tube and into the trough 26. The above-described movement of the rod 48 and the cup 34 continues until the bar 49 contacts the upper end of the screw 52 to stop said movement whereupon the flow of liquid from the cup 34 into the tube 18 ceases. The screw 51 is preferably arranged with respect to the pressure fluid cylinder 46 whereby in its downwardmost position, the cup will rise only high enough that the bottom surface of the bottom of the cup 34 will remain below the top of said tube to prevent the cup 34 from freeing itself from the tube 18. Subject to this limitation, suitable ad justment of the screw 52 will determine the amount of liquid flowing out of the cup 34, through the tube 18 and into the trough 26. The trough 26 has preferably previously been charged with a quantity of liquid equal to that remaining therein after a tilting of said trough. This quantity of liquid is suflicient to cover the lower end of the tube 18 when the trough 26 is returned to its receiving position shown in solid lines in the FIGURE 2. Thus, liquid flowing into the trough 26 from the tube 18 is below the level of the existing liquid in said trough whereby splashing of said entering liquid is prevented. Upon completion of, or during, the filling of the trough 26, same may be rotated about its pivot axis 27 to its dotted line position shown in FIGURE 2 whereby a portion of the contents thereof is discharged into the opening 31 of the waiting mold 32. Upon emptying of the cup 34, the pressure fluid cylinder 46 may be energized to retract the rod 48 thereof to lower the cup 34. Upon completion of its discharge, the trough 26 may be returned to its solid line position shown in FIGURE 2.

Upon the solidifying of its contents, the mold may be emptied and returned to its original condition whereupon the above-described cycle may be repeated. Suitable control means for directing the mechanism through the abovedescribed sequence will be apparent to persons with average skill in the art and will not be further described. Further, it will be apparent that the above-described operation of the mechanism may easily be made fully automatic and further may be incorporated into a more complex, automatic machine for producing finished battery plates.

Although a particular preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed hereinabove for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that modifications or variations of such disclosure which lie within the scope of the appended claims, are fully contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for transferring a precisely controlled amount of liquid into a mold, comprising the combination:

a well containing liquid to be transferred;

a tube extending upwardly through the bottom of said well:

a dipping trap chamber slidable axially of said tube and located within said well;

transfer means conducting liquid discharged from the lower end of said tube into said mold;

linkage means secured at one end thereof to said dipping trap chamber;

power means secured to the other end of said linkage means;

said linkage means comprising a pair of sets of levers defining parallel planes centered upon said tube and said power means, each of said sets of levers including a first link secured at one end thereof to said power means, a first lever secured at one end thereof totheother end of said first link and pivotally supported intermediate the ends thereof on means fixed with respect to said well, a second link pivotally supported at one end thereof upon the other end of said first lever, a second lever pivotally supported at one end thereof on means fixed with respect to said well and pivotally supported intermediate the ends thereof upon the other end of said second link and a final link pivotally supported at and depending from the other end of said second lever and fixed at its lower end to said dipping trap chamber;

whereby said dipping trap chamber may be raised or lowered by operation of said power means through said linkage means.

2. The device defined in claim 1, wherein said other end of said second lever is movable through a path which is relatively short compared to the length of said lever whereby the path followed by said other end is approximately a straight line and tilting of said trap chamber is minimized during movement of said other end through said path.

3. A device for transferring a precisely controlled amount of liquid into a mold, comprising the combination:

a well for containing liquid to be transferred;

a tube extending upwardly through the bottom of said well, said tube extending downwardly below the bottom of said well a selected distance;

a dipping trap chamber slidable axially of said tube and located within said well;

a trough located below the lower end of said tube and means mounting said trough for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis substantially fixed with respect to and located below said tube, said trough having upwardly extending side walls, said lower end of said tube being continuously disposed within said trough;

stop means for limiting pivotal movement of said trough about said horizontal axis;

said stop means, said side walls and said tube being so related to each other that the lower end of said tube is constantly disposed between, and below the upper edges of, said side walls in all positions of said trough whereby said trough does not fully empty its contents upon pivotal movement and the lower end of said tube is constantly below the lowermost level of liquid in the trough whereby liquid flowing through said tube into said trough is prevented from splashmg;

and means for raising and lowering said trap chamber within said well.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 284,005 8/1883 Hainsworth 22-79 1,050,339 1/1913 Cassidy 222-356 1,166,067 l/1916 La Porte 222356 2,753,605 7/1956 Carleton 2285 I. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

R. D. BALDWIN, Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR TRANSFERRING A PRECISELY CONTROLLED AMOUNT OF LIQUID INTO A MOLD, COMPRISING THE COMBINATION: A WELL CONTAINING LIQUID TO BE TRANSFERRED; A TUBE EXTENDING UPWARDLY THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF SAID WELL: A DIPPING TRAP CHAMBER SLIDABLE AXIALLY OF SAID TUBE AND LOCATED WITHIN SAID WELL; TRANSFER MEANS CONDUCTING LIQUID DISCHARGED FROM THE LOWER END OF SAID TUBE INTO SAID MOLD; LINKAGE MEANS SECURED AT ONE END THEREOF TO SAID DIPPING TRAP CHAMBER; POWER MEANS SECURED TO THE OTHER END OF SAID LINKAGE MEANS; SAID LINKAGE MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF SETS OF LEVERS DEFINING PARALLEL PLANES CENTERED UPON SAID TUBE AND SAID POWER MEANS, EACH OF SAID SETS OF LEVERS INCLUDING A FIRST LINK SECURED AT ONE END THEREOF TO SAID POWER MEANS, A FIRST LEVER SECURED AT ONE END THEREOF TO THE OTHER END OF SAID FIRST LINK AND PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF ON MEANS FIXED WITH RESPECT TO SAID WELL, A SECOND LINK PIVOTALLY SUPPRTED AT ONE END THEREOF UPON THE OTHER END OF SAID FIRST LEVER, A SECOND LEVER PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED AT ONE END THEREOF ON MEANS FIXED WITH RESPECT TO SAID WELL AND PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF UPON THE OTHER END OF SAID SECOND LINK AND A FINAL LINK PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED AT AND DEPENDING FROM THE OTHER END OF SAID SECOND LEVER AND FIXED ATG ITS LOWER END TO SAID DIPPING TRAP CHAMBER; WHEREBY SAID DIPPING TRAP CHAMBER MAY BE RAISED OR LOWERED BY OPERATION OF SAID POWER MEANS THROUGH SAID LINKAGE MEANS. 